Expert Game Plan Session: Triathlete, Graduate of Stanford School of Medicine; PhD from University of Otago New Zealand; Innovative Exercise Physiologist-Nutrition Scientist of Thermoregulation, Hydration, and Performance Nutrition

BACKGROUND

On today’s podcast you will receive tons of information regarding hydration, thermoregulation, and what it means to hydrate properly for different sexes as it is not the same for both. Dr. Sims has studied all over the globe and has been an athlete in multiple sports. Her knowledge will help your overall health and performance as an athlete.

BIO

Born, Stacy Teresa Sims on July 24, 1973.

Ran track in high school, competed on the crew team for Purdue University; was an ultra runner, triathlete. She retired as a pro elite roadbike racer when she was pregnant with her 2 year old daughter, Jera

She is an Innovative Exercise Physiologist-Nutrition Scientist of Thermoregulation, Hydration, and Performance Nutrition; The key researcher officer and co-founder of Osmo Nutrition, who has products designed to address different needs for both sexes; consults for elite individual athletes; has worked with Lance Armstrong.

PERSONAL BELIEF:“Women are not small men.”

“taking a broad view of the world and having a lot of tolerance and patience and making myself grow in whatever environment I’m in”

Key Discussion Points:

How did you get into your field of work/research?

What has you most excited these days?

Why can’t both sexes hydrate the same way?

What hydration sources out there being pushed commercially actually cause dehydration?

When are the best times to hydrate? Is there a wrong time?

How does dehydration play into injuries?

How should athletes hydrate properly while traveling by plane?

What eating habits should athletes have on 2-3 hour practice days?

Key Lessons:

If you start with good habits, you will further your career down the road

Most sports drinks are designed to replace carbohydrates first, and then provide some fluid second

“A standard sports drink has between 6-8% carbohydrate solution..when you look at that was a chemical..physiological standpoint...that concentration of carbohydrates are too concentrated to flow into the body easily.” SS @ 13:03

You can remove stress by watching what you are eating and drinking

Optimal hydration will better your overall performance

There is NO pure water in the body; plain water isn’t the main solution for hydration

“If you are just drinking plain water, you’re not really maximizing what your body recognizes as the solution..so just a little bit of sodium in plain water..that will allow the body to pull that fluid in.” SS @ 18:28

Hydrate throughout the day with MORE than just water

“...its eating watery fruits and veggies, its drinking mineral water that has the sodium in it or its making you own sports drink with 500 ml of water (16oz), dash of salt and a little bit of maple syrup (tsp.)..you’ll get some glucose..sodium, and then you’re going to get your fluid and its going to be absorbed.” SS @ 18:48

When dehydrated, you are prone to tissue tears, cramping, ACL injuries,etc.

Compression tights during travel help with getting up and walking around as much as you can to prevent swelling in the ankles

Have your products to make your protein drinks WITH you on your flights

“12-13 hour flight...having two protein base drinks on the flight...the protein helps with the hydration aspect and the amino acids counteract some of the jet lag.” SS @ 24:37

You want to maximize the food before you have practice

“..at least 90 minutes before you start and you can top up with snack..a 150 calorie snack, about 30 minutes before you start training, so you’re going to be well fueled.” SS @ 26:56

The Importance of ThermoregulationThe way your body deals with stress after exercise or extreme conditions is through thermoregulation; through changing constriction of vessels, through sweating, respiration; without thermoregulation there is no human.

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Definition of Being an Athlete?

"A combination of mind, body, and spirit. There is not one without the other. You can’t be a complete athlete if you aren’t mentally strong and also aware of what you’re doing and how your body fits in space and time. Physically you can’t be an athlete without all the training components and nutrition components and spiritually, without that inner drive and the awareness of how you give and take from others, you can’t really be a complete person or a complete athlete. " -Dr. Stacy Sims